Syria situation unacceptable and intolerable: UN

Bogor: UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday the situation in Syria has become "unacceptable" and called on the Security Council to unite over the issue.

His comments came ahead of a UN Security Council meeting
today to discuss a draft statement urging possible "further
measures" if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fails to
implement a peace plan by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

The statement, which carries less weight than a
resolution, is generally negotiated faster and could be voted
on at the Security Council meeting if consensus is reached.

"The situation in Syria has become an unacceptable and
intolerable situation," Ban said in Bogor, Indonesia, where he
addressed the country`s peacekeepers working for the UN.

"I have seen hope that the international community will
continually speak in one voice. And particularly the Security
Council, I hope, will be able to be united so they can speak
in one voice," he added.
Ban said he appreciated that many nations had engaged in
diplomatic efforts to help end the violence in Syria, where a
deadly year-long government crackdown has killed thousands of
opposition protesters.

Russia, a Security Council member and a key ally of
Damascus, on Monday added its voice to growing calls for a
humanitarian truce in Syria.

The Western-drafted statement at the UN was put to the
council Monday by France, aiming to give strong backing to
Annan`s efforts to halt the 12 months of killing in Syria.
The statement, obtained by AFP, expresses "gravest
concern" at the deteriorating situation in Syria and "profound
regret" at the thousands of dead over the past year.

It calls on Assad and Syria`s opposition to "implement
fully and immediately" Annan`s six-point peace plan.